Transfer mechanism for progressive headers and the like



June 23, 1959 H. L. HOYT ET AL 2,891,263

TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR PROGRESSIVE HEADERS AND THE LIKE Original Filed June 29, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS ATTORNEYS June 23, 1959 H. HOYT ET AL I 2,891,263

TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR PROGRESSIVE HEADERS AND THE LIKE Original Filed June 29, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet 2 iNvENroRs ATTORNEYS June 23, 1959 H. L. HOYT ET AL TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR PROGRESSIVE HEADERS AND THE LIKE Original Filed June 29, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS .fl? Z 2,891,263 Patented June 23, 1959 Bee TRANSFER MECHANISM FOR PROGRESSIVE HEADERS AND THE LIKE Herbert L. Hoyt, Waterbury, and Erwin B. Byam, Wolcott, Conn., assignors to The Waterbury Farrel Foundry & Machine Company, Waterbury, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Original application June 29, 1953, Serial No. 364,723,

now Patent No. 2,791,786, dated May 14, 1957. D vided and this application February 26, 1957, Serial No. 642,507

Claims. (Cl. -12) This invention relates to metal-working machines such as progressive headers, nut formers or the like, and particularly to the reciprocating means for the transfer mechanism of such devices, the present application being a division of our copending application, Serial No. 364,728, filed June 29, 1953, now Patent No. 2,791,786, granted May 14, 1957.

In metal-working machines Where a blank is operated on progressively at a number of stations in the same machine, means are provided for transferring the blank from one station to the next. This function is usually performed by so-called transfer fingers, these fingers being arranged to receive and grip a blank when it is pushed out of one die and are then moved to a position opposite the next succeeding die or work station Where the blank will be pushed out of the transfer fingers to be operated upon at the station to which it has been transferred. The present invention relates to the construction and operation of the transfer mechanism which transfers the blanks from one station to the next.

As illustrated, the apparatus comprises a carrier for the transfer fingers, which carrier is mounted for movement on the frame of the header or other metal-working machine. In the illustrated mechanism the carrier is mounted upon a pair of cranks which are rotated through an angle of slightly more than 180 degrees, the carrier having some relative movement With respect to the cranks so that its movement may be checked at the desired point or when it has moved approximately 180 degrees although the cranks may have a slight additional movement.

The carrier, therefore, is moved over an arcuate path and transfer fingers are attached to and carried by the carrier which grip the blank at onestation and transfer it over an arcuate path of substantially 180 degrees to the next station. a

The application particularly relates to the means for connecting the cranks to the carrier for the transfer mechanism in order to permit this overthrow of the cranks while limiting the movement of the carrier so as to provide correct registration of the transfer fingers with the die openings. a

One object of the invention is the provision of new and improved transfer mechanism for a progressive header or like machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide transfer mechanism for a machine of the character described wherein transfer fingers are attached to a movable carrier and provision is made for stoppingthe motion of the carrier at the proper point to align the transfer fingers with the die openings while permitting limited relative movement between the carrier and the operating means therefor.

Still another object of the invention is to provide trans fer mechanism for a machine of the character described wherein the carrier upon which the transfer fingers are supported is operated by a crank mechanism and provision is made for limited relative movement between the crank mechanism and the carrier in order to properly position the transfer fingers with respect to the dies while permitting overthrow of the crank mechanism to a limited extent. 0

To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features and combinations of parts to beaminafter described and claimed. L

in the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the die block of a progressive header or like machine, showing our improved transfer mechanism applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the mechanism on line 22 of Fig. 1; p

Fig. 3 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 44- of Fig. 2.

To illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, we have shown a progressive header or like machine comprising a die bed 11 which may be supported in any suitable manner upon the usual frame or bed. In the die bed are shown a cut-off station 12 where a length of rod or wire stock may be severed in the usual manner to form a workpiece or blank upon which the machine operates, and a knock-out station 13 wherein may be mounted the usual knock-out rod to push the blank out of the severing knife into transfer fingers to be described hereinafter.

As illustrated the machine is provided with four operating stations at which are mounted the dies 15, 16, 17 and 18, and associated with each of these dies or stations is a pair of gripping transfer fingers which are adapted to be moved from one station to the next in order to transfer blanks progressively from the pushout station 13 in a step-by-step manner to the various four operating stations as is well known in the art.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 3, a gear 20 is rotatably mounted on the bed or frame of the machine, this gear being secured to shaft 21. This gear is rocked or oscillated by means of an arm 22 secured to the shaft 21, and to the free end of this arm is pivotally connected a rod 23 which may be reciprocated by the usual means from one of the shafts of the machine, as shown, for example, in the Schaeffer and Hoyt Patent No. 2,689,361, granted September 21, 1954. Also rotatably mounted upon the bed of the machine are a pair of pinions 24, the teeth of which are in mesh with those of the gear 20.

Each of the pinions is secured to a shaft 25 (Fig.2), and each of these shafts carries a crank 26 (Fig. 3) to which is secured a crank pin 27. Referring more particularly to Figs. 2 and 4, a block 28 is mounted on bearings 29 on each of the crank pins 27 so that the pin may be free to rotate within the block. Each of the blocks 28 has an upward extension 30 extending through, and fitting snugly into, an opening 31 in a finger carrier 32. A stud 33 is threaded into the extension 30 ofthe block 28 and a compression spring 34 surrounds each of these studs and bears at its lower end upon a bracket or cap 35 secured to the carrier.

It will be understood that the carrier 32 extends along the die bed so as to provide a support for the necessary pairs of transfer fingers to eifect the transfer of the blanks to one of the operating stations.

It will be noted that, as shown more. particularly in Figs; 2 and 4, each of the blocks 28 is mounted in an opening 36 of the carrier 32, which opening extends from front to rear of the carrier and, while this block fits the opening snugly on its side edges, as shown in Fig. 4, it is smaller than the opening in its vertical dimension so as to permit a certain amount of relative movement between the block 28, which is carried by the crank 27, and the carrier 32. It will also be apparent that the spring 34 tends to urge this. block upwardly with respect to the carrier.

Secured upon the upper surface of the die bed 11 are stop. blocks 38, these blocks,- as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, beingadapted toeng-agewear plates 39 secured to the lower surface of the carrier so as to properly position the carrier at the end of its stroke. It will be noted that the crank 26; due to the relative motion permitted bctween the block 28 and the carrier 32, may have a slight additional movement. T huseventhough the cranks might have a slight overtravel, the movement of the carrier may be stopped at the proper point to position the finger mechanism relatively to the die openings.

As shownin Figs. 1 and2;, four pairsof transfer finger mechanismsare provided. While the particular construction of the transfer fingers is not to be claimed in the present application-, itmay benoted that each of the finger mechanisms comprises a pairof. finger holders 43 pivoted at 44 to the carrier andgripping fingers 45' are secured to the holders 43'to lgrip'the work in the usual manner. The finger holders; 43 are crossed above their pivots, and the upper ends 46 of these holders are providedwith rollers 47.- These rollers are adapted to be engaged by a wedge 51 carried at the lower end ofa lever 52 (Fig; 2) pivotedto one of the brackets or caps 35 on the carrier. Means are provided, asshown in our prior application, of which this is adivision, for opening the wedge members at the. proper time to open the carrier fingers, but as noclaim is made herein to this mechanism, a description thereof is unnecessary.

In the operation of the machinea length of stock is fed through the cutoff die 12 and a workpiece cut from this stockwill' be'transferred from the cut-off die to the push-out station 13 where it will be pushed out of the knife into the first pair of transfer fingers 45, which will then be in the dotted-line position shown in Fig. L The crank shafts 2 5, which will be oscillated by oscillation of the gear 20 by means of the rod 23, will then move the carrier 32' in an arcuate path, thus moving the gripping fingers through an arcuate path from one station to the next and thus transferring the workpieces from one die-to the next for the performance of succeeding operations.

As explained, the carrier 32 will bemoved in an arcuate path and'the'position of the carrier at'each end of its movement will be determined by the stop blocks 38. This position should be the proper one in which the blanks will be brought into proper registration with the openings in the dies and must be precisely determined. In order that the end position of the carrier and transfer fingers may be accurately determined independently to some extent of the throw of. the cranks and also independently of wear that may occur in the parts, the described connection between the crank pins 27 and the carrier 32 will permit limited relative movement between the cranks and the carrier. That is to say, the cranks will. be permitted a; slight overtravel due to the loose connection between the blocks 28 and the carrier 32. The stops 38 -will, therefore, serve to properly position the carrier so as to effect proper registrationof the workpiece with the openings in: the-processing dies.

While we have shown and" described" one embodiment ofourinvention, it willbe understood thatit is? not to be limited to all of the details shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the-spirit of the invention and within the scope of the claims.

What we claim is: r

1. In a machine of thecharacter described, a frame,

4 a plurality of work tools supported thereby and arranged to operate on a blank successively, means for transferring a blank from one tool to the next comprising a carrier movably mounted on the frame, transfer fingers supported thereby to receive a blank, a crank shaft rotatably mounted on the frame having a crank pin thereon, a block rotatably mounted on said pin, means connecting 7 said block with the carrier to permit relative movement thereby to receive a blank, a crank shaft rotatably mounted on the frame having a crank pin' thereon, a block rotatably mounted on said p'in, mea'ns loosely connecting said block with the carrier to permitovertravel of the crank, and stop means on the frame to engage the carrier and limit the end position thereof.

3. In a machine-of the character described, a frame, a

plurality of work tools supported thereby and arranged to operate on a blank successively, means for transferring a blank from one tool to the next comprising a carrier movably mounted on the frame, transfer fingers supported thereby to receive a blank,- a crank shaft rotatably mounted on the frame having a crank pin thereon, a block rotatably mounted onsaid pin, said crank shaft being disposed horizontally, means connecting saidblock to the carrier for limited movement in a vertical direction, and stop means on the frame to engage the carrier and limit the end position thereof.

4, In a machine of the character described, a frame, a plurality of work tools supported thereby and arranged to operate on a blank successively, means-for transferring a blank from one tool to the next comprising a carrier movably' mounted on the frame, transfer fingers supported thereby to receive a blank, crank shaft rotatably mounted on the frame having a crank .pin thereon, a; block rotatably mounted on said pin, an extension on' said' block,

said carrier having a seat loosely receiving saidblock and" extension, 2; spring bearing against the carrier and connected to said extension to yieldably connect'the block with the carrier, and stop means on" the frame to engage the carrier and limit the end position thereof.

5. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a plurality of work tools supported thereby and arranged to operateon a blank successively, means for transferring a blank from one tool to the next comprising a carrier movably mounted on the frame, transfer fingers supported thereby to receive a blank, a crank shaft rotatably mounted on the frame having a crank pin thereon, a block rotatably mounted on said pin, means on the frame to engage said carrier and limit the movement thereof, and means connecting said block with the car rier to permit limited movement o'f'the crank shaft after engagement of the carrier with said means.

References Cit'ed" thefil'e of this'patent UNITED. STATES PATENTS 1,185,745 Weismuller June. 6, 1916 1,188,268- Graifenberger June 201.1916 1,982,460; Wilcox Nov; 27, 1934 

